Training from a Master
by Anaya of Wolves
Summary: [COMPLETE] Sequel to 'The Keyblader Chosen.' This the the second installment of my RWBY-KH crossover, and probably still not the last of it. There is more to come about with Ruby and her new duties as a keyblade wielder. This time, however, she is getting a bit of help from another keyblader.
1. Chapter 1

[Originally posted on my tumblr 'anaya-of-wolves. tumblr. comm/ post/ 100952387792/ fic-rwby-kh-crossover-training-from-a-master-1-2' (just remove the extra 'm' in 'comm' and remove the spaces.]

Well, here is the sequel from the first RWBY/KH I did. But, however, this got a bit too long and I'm working on a few other fic.s as well, so I broke it up into two parts. The second part may or may not be as long as this one since it depends on how long I have to work on it.

* * *

><p>The outbreak of heartless hadn't stopped. Even if they weren't called that, heartless, Ruby still knew that it was heartless doing these incidents. Creatures unlike the grimm that were attacking people and towns were getting out and around more and more. Especially on the outside of Vale now more and more seemed to be conjugating. The young leader of team RWBY wasn't blind or ignorant to the fact that there was a really good reason as to why that was. After getting her keyblade, the amount of heartless increased over the past days. They were linked, and that left a sour taste in her mouth. She could go out and help. She could save those people, but one against waves wasn't an odd Ruby felt she could win against. Her teammates, though supporting, weren't helping either.<p>

"Ruby, can't you do anything to help?" Weiss asked, asking this but the team leader heard a demand in those words. She could do something, couldn't she? But she was afraid, wasn't she? These creatures, heartless, weren't something she fought or really knew well about. The keyblade caused another problem as well on its own.

"I want to, but the keyblade..." She held up her hand in front of her, and nothing appeared. The keyblade was the only thing to stop the heartless, but it wouldn't appear no matter what she tried.

"Maybe you have to be near heartless for it to appear?" Yang suggested, her and the rest of team RWBY staring at the air where a weapon should be.

"Maybe, but what if it doesn't?" Ruby argued against, surprised she kept her fear at bay from her voice. There was a fear inside of her that festered within a pool of doubt mixed with a sliver of panic. So many things could go wrong with this. If this was grimm, it would be different. She was and is being trained to fight them. With heartless she just got a few words from a strange boy, and none of that she had told her team. What if she failed and-

"Ruby! Quite spacing out! This is important," Weiss called out, a deep and upset frown on her face, "Those creatures are appearing more frequently every day and getting closer to the kingdom. Tomorrow they might-"

"Weiss, calm down. There's no need for shouting." Blake's own words were turned against her when shouting did erupt. But it wasn't from the white-haired teammate or anyone else in the room. It came from outside the open window in their dorm. All four girls rushed over to look out and see what was going on. What they saw shocked them.

Heartless, some much bigger than the ones that hadn't told about from the forest, were forming in the courtyards of Beacon. Most of the students backed away, and some were being chased. Panic screams and shouts soon filled the air as team RWBY watched on with horror-filled faces.

"We have to go down and help them!" Yang finally said, breaking them out of the shock, "They can't fight those things."

Ruby knew that, knew that with every fiber of her being. But what exactly could she do with a weapon that wouldn't appear to her? If they rushed down there now with no plan or no way to really defend themselves, they could wind up being attacked just as those students were being. But if they didn't-

'You have to fight, Ruby. You have to save them and fight the heartless. Don't let the darkness in your heart cloud your judgment.'

She heard those words echoed inside of her head, wondering just where had they come from but finding them to be true. She was afraid, and maybe it was the darkness inside of her. However, she had to do something now, with or without the keyblade. She had been chosen for a reason, hadn't she? She had to do this!

So now, with that mindset, Ruby backed away from the windowsill, already drawing up a quick idea that she soon began putting into motion.

After a little bit of watching the scene below, Yang began asking as she glanced over her shoulder, "Hey Ruby, do you think-" But Ruby was nowhere in the room. "Ruby?" All three of the RWBY members turned and glanced around, searching for their team leader. But the youngest had vanished from the room. The only clue was the open door she had left open.

* * *

><p>Down in the courtyard of Beacon, Ruby headed out of the dorms with a steady hurried pace. Students fled past her, heading towards the building and not away. Briefly she thought that that was a better idea than the one she had in her mind and executing at the moment. But she couldn't back down now. She had been chosen to help these people, as a huntress and a keyblade wielder. Backing down now would be the ultimate cowardly thing to do.<p>

She stopped roughly ten feet from the nearest group of heartless that had surrounded three students. A lump formed in her throat that she battled down as she took in a deep breath and exhaled. 'Calm, focus, concentrate,' she thought to herself, willing all her might into the appearance of her keyblade. She reached back for Crescent Rose, ready for when her first plan failed.

Soon enough, she focused her energy, focused her will, and spoke, "Get away from them." The heartless that had been eyeing that small group all turned to look at her, curious as to who spoke before their attention fully turned on the one that they had been sensing. It was a bit unnerving for Ruby to be the center of attention for these monsters, but it was better her than innocent people. Of whom, she quickly told, "Go, get out of here!" The three Beacon students were stunned but quickly ran away to hopefully not get caught by these monsters again.

Now it was one person against roughly seven creatures of darkness. Three looked like those shadow things from before, but the other four looked different since they stood on two legs and had armor on them. Well, no matter what they looked like, Ruby knew that she had to face them and her own heavy fears about all of this. She had been chose and had a duty.

"I don't know how you got in here, but this is as far as you'll go," she spoke confidently, though not really getting an actual reply from the creatures. They just did those sporadic movements before they leaped at her at the same time. She back away quickly, willing for her keyblade to come. Just as one of the more soldier-like heartless could land a spinning kick, her arm went up to block it. Before contact, a shimmer of light appeared and the keyblade from before blocked the attack. Ruby then grinned and found the odds now evened. The young teen then began fighting back.

Unbeknownst to her, the rest of her team soon left the dorms and caught sight of her fighting heartless once more. But they weren't the only ones spectating this fight. Some students had stopped running away to witness it, along with a certain headmaster and professor. They all were surprised to see the creatures being knocked back by Ruby and the strange weapon she held in her hand that wasn't her scythe.

Only one out of all these spectators knew what the weapon was besides its wielder. He also had now to both call a 'friend' and have a talk with Miss Rose. Ozpin felt a small and strange sort of 'I knew it' within his mind that seemed a bit childish, but the way that some fates fell this was something that seemed to be of nothing of chance.

* * *

><p>Ruby felt as though a hundred eyes were staring at her at the moment. It felt even worse than the time she had told her side of the story from the Tower incident when Ironwood had been present. But unlike that time, this was a subject in which the words and explanation failed her. How could she explain all this to Professor Ozpin? He wouldn't know, even she didn't know the full extent of all of this madness really. But the young huntress knew that telling what she did know, even including that of what could have easily been a dream, was the best and right thing to do.<p>

So, she gathered up all of her courage and will, taking in a breath before explaining it to the awaiting seated man at his desk. "They're called heartless. I had been having a few dreams about them before we went on the mission a week ago. Then, during that mission, we ran into them, since they had been the cause of the problems, and then fell into a kind of...dream? I guess. In my, uh, dream, I met a boy, but before that I got the keyblade. The keyblade is that weapon. It can fight the heartless. After that, the boy 'Sora' explained that the heartless came from darkness, and that this world was experiencing them, and that there were other worlds. Then I came to in the woods again and fought off the heartless and then returned back to here after the mission was technically done. And that's all I know about that, Professor."

After that long-winded speech by the young girl, she took in a deep breath and waited for the verdict that she would be receiving. Ozpin hadn't said or questioned anything while she had been speaking, merely raising an eyebrow or getting a stern look on his face. Ruby didn't really know how to take that kind of reaction. Was that a good sign or not? Would he even believe here? All of those questions now began eating at her mind and causing her to feel worse.

"And this is all that you know, Ruby?" he finally asked her, softly and calmly which settled some of her fears and sparked others.

She nodded her head and answered back, "Yes, sir. That's all."

There was a pause while he thought, getting a look on his face that spoke of neither angry or disappointed, but he inclined his own head a bit. "Very well. You can go now." Ruby was shocked in hearing that, obviously showing it since Ozpin chuckled and followed up his dismissal. "Don't looked too surprise, this is not the end of this discussion. But you should go rest for a bit."

Whether that really meant was lost on Ruby, not knowing who else she would have to speak to. But she still thanked the other and left the office, wondering just who else and how many times else she would have to explain that a boy from a dream gave her a weapon.

* * *

><p>Ruby took one step into her room, shutting the door behind her and then leaning against it as she felt as though her body had lost all of its bones. The weight on her heart about the secret of the keyblade and the heartless had seemed to lessen. Talking with Ozpin had set some unease to rest. But it seemed as though she wasn't done talking, or at least questioned.<p>

"So, what happened? What did Professor Ozpin say? Did you tell him about the keyblade? What did he say? Does he know about you and fighting the heartless?" Yang asked those questions at rapid speed that nearly made Ruby's head spin. The red-head then pushed herself off the door and made her way past her teammates and over to the nearest bed, Weiss's, and landed face down on it. She let out a groan as a somewhat response that didn't answer anything.

Finally, she turned her head to the side and answered the questions in the ordered they had been asked, "I told him everything I knew about the keyblade, and what it could do against the heartless. He really didn't ask any more questions and dismissed me. That was it really." She then shut her eyes to fall back into her mind to just think over things. A secret was out, to not just Ozpin. The whole school, well some of the students saw who then could have told others, would find out about what she could do. If that didn't give her some anxiety, the looming cloud of Ozpin wanting to know more was.

"Well, it could have been worse, I suppose. At least he took it, well, well," Weiss attempted to provide some ease to all this, noticing how her team leader didn't looked to be in the best mood. Then again, she had been a bit for telling Ozpin when they got back about the heartless and keyblade.

The rest agreed with that, though Ruby still didn't think that settled anything. What would Ozpin eventually say about all this? Would her having the keyblade, a strange weapon to fight creatures that didn't even come from this world, stop her from becoming a huntress? Would she be asked to fight these heartless for however long? The grimm were bad enough, but these things, only she could fight. That nagging fear in her mind of just being overwhelmed came back, making her shoulders shake has she gripped the pillow tightly with her fingers.

Soon, however, they laxed when she felt a few comforting hands on her shoulders. Ruby turned her to see her team sitting on the edges of the bed, giving her soft looks of support.

"Hey, whatever happens, we're still a team. We'll have your back through this," Yang told her sister, giving her a grin and getting nods from the others.

"Whatever this problem is, we'll take one step at a time. We're not going to let this interfere with everything," Blake added in.

Weiss was the final word of encouragement, "We're stronger than that. No matter what happens or what Ozpin has to say, this isn't going to break us apart."

Ruby smiled at all of them, getting smiles in return. She felt better knowing that her team was behind her once more for this. She knew it was better to have support of friends than dealing with this whole mess by herself. Honestly, she probably couldn't have dealt with any of it without their supporting words and encouragement. She felt strength from them, feeling the bond between the team hardened even more. Sora's words came back to her briefly, remembering what he said about bonds of the heart between friends. Their strength was hers and vice versa.

But then that strength she felt from them stuttering a bit as there was a knock at the dorm door. All four heads turned to glance over to it, wondering who was on the other side. There was a good guess as to who it was. Ruby thought over things and thought over what happened. She had to do this now. So, she pushed herself up and climbed off the bed. She walked over to the door, casting a look over her shoulder to her friends and sister after she stopped. After opening the door, she steeled herself for whoever it was on the other side and whatever she was going to have to do.

"Ah, Miss Rose, Professor Ozpin would like to speak with you again."

It was Glynda, which wasn't a complete shock of sight, but she still brought about the news that she had been wondering about and waiting for. So, Ruby answered her back with a 'Yes, ma'am' before taking a step out of the room once the older woman moved away. However, neither of them got away from the dorm after a question had been raised.

"Ma'am, may we come?"

Both Glynda and Ruby glanced back at the team who looked ready to accompany Ruby to whatever fate she had in store, and the professor answered back, "I don't-"

"Please?!" they all pleaded, looking ready to beg for however long it would take to come with Ruby. The team leader found that a bit remarkable and heartwarming that they would stick out and want to come with her. Having them back her up would be great for whatever Ozpin needed to tell her.

She was about to ask the professor herself as well, but Glynda relented with a sigh and told them, "Fine, alright. Let's go, hurry up."

There was a small cheer, which stopped quickly with a look from Glynda, before the group headed out of the dorm and down the hall with the woman at the head. The team all gave each other grins, especially to Ruby who felt as though she would need it for whatever future she was going to have in store. Whatever this would be about, the keyblade or her whole self, Ruby felt ready with her team at her side now.

* * *

><p>The group entered the spacious office, stopping in the middle of it while Glynda went to stand by the desk. Ozpin had his chair turned with his back towards them, seemingly talking with what looked to be himself. The team gave confused glances amongst themselves but snapped to attention when the headmaster turned to face them. He didn't look to upset that the entire team of RWBY had come and not just its leader. He more looked amused by that.<p>

Ruby then took a few steps forward and greeting the man, "You wanted to see me again, Professor Ozpin?" She wondered just what this visit would entitle now and what would be discussed. She just hoped that this wasn't the speech that would remove her from Beacon. That was possibly the worst case scenario running through her head at the moment.

"Ah yes, Miss Rose," he greeted back with a slight incline of his head in a nod before standing up to move around to the front of the desk, "I called you here because I would like for you to meet a very special guest here at Beacon. He arrived once the knowledge of your special "gift" became apparent with the heartless attack.

Ruby wondered just how the other was talking about, since she didn't see anyone else in the room. She glanced around a bit before stopping once Ozpin spoke again, though glancing over his shoulder to his desk.

"King Mickey."

King? That confused the four teenagers in the room. The three still together looked around for whoever this King was while Ruby focused on the desk. She noticed a small movement before her eyes widened once she saw just was moving and walking around to the front of the desk to stand next to Ozpin. Not even nearly the same height as the man and not even human, this "King Mickey" was a sight that dumbfounded team RWBY.

"Hello Ruby, it's great to finally meet you. Your Headmaster has told me a few things about the situation," the creature greeted with both a bounce in his voice and grin on his face. He didn't look to be any type of king that Ruby or any of the other girls would have recognized. The eyes, especially, didn't help to give them a thought that this "King Mickey" was more like a mouse than anything else, which he could have easily been.

"Uh, I, hello, your Majesty?" Ruby finally snapped out of it and stuttered in response. She curtsied a bit, finding some manners and guessing that would be of some appropriate of a response as well. She didn't get an answer from Ozpin or Glynda saying otherwise for or against it. Though soon she snapped back to full stand when King Mickey chuckled and waved his hand.

"Oh no, none of that. You don't have to be so formal around me. I'm merely here to help with your heartless problem. As well, to help you especially," he told her, giving her a nod of his head and a reassuring grin that she really couldn't figure out. Questions were forming in Ruby's mind about what he had said. He was going to help her out with the heartless? A little doubt crept up in her mind for just how this...mouse was going to do so.

"Me?"

"Mmhmm, You have a keyblade, dont'cha?" Ruby answered that question with a nod of her head. She also soon found it apt to hold out her head and summon the weapon, which actually appeared to her call this time, to present to the King. He glanced over it, inspecting it really from what she could tell, before he nodded his head. Ruby let the blade disappear from sight, though now getting a look from Glynda about its appearance and disappearance from sight.

"It's a pretty powerful weapon," he began, soon summoning what Ruby suspected to be another keyblade as well though this one looked actually looked much more like what a key-blade would be, "One that requires some training and help to understand and master. I'm here to be of some help for that for the present time, as well help with the heartless infestation."

There was a brief pause of silence, after the King let his own weapon disappear after showing it to the young teen, before soon a voice spoke up since it seemed no one had gave any sign for her not to, "Uh, what exactly are you? I mean-"

"Weiss!" Yang hissed from where she stood, giving the other a look and finding it a bit blunt for the other to have asked that. Weiss shot back a look and asked 'What?' in return, though Blake having a mildly annoyed look on her face after her teammate had asked that. Ruby glanced back, shaking her head lightly, before looking over to King Mickey and hoping he wasn't too offended, if it had caused offense.

Mickey looked a bit confused before he grinned while answering the white-haired teen's question, "I'm a mouse, of course."

That hadn't really quite answered Weiss's questions, so she repeated it in hopes of getting a better answer, "A mouse?" Ruby wished that the heiress would just drop things, though the King still looked to be alright with answering those questions.

"Eh-yup." He grinned to them, seemingly find with whatever they needed and wanted to know for the matter. "But," he began once more and the smile slipping off and back to straight and serious face, "back to the matter at hand-"

Ruby soon interrupted the other, not really in disrespect to the King, but in the fact that the young girl really had some of her own questions that really needed answers, "Please, your majesty. I- what is going on here? I just got this thing a week ago, and I still have no idea what I'm really supposed to be doing." She attempted to hold off on some of the franticness in her voice, but it was clear it was there. The team leader really had no real clue in what she should be doing with the keyblade and how to effectively deal with the heartless. That and the fact that there was the overhanging fact of why everything was happening in the first place. Answers to all of these mysteries were needed, at least Ruby thought so.

But, instead of King Mickey answering the young teenage girl back, it was Ozpin who gave some small words in response, "King Mickey had briefed me on somewhat of the greater outline of what is going on, and what you told me has confirmed a few things that he had said as well."

"Wait, what?" Ruby asked, now figuring in the pieces of information into some of the other in her mind, "He's from a different world like Sora said?" Well, that was a bit obvious, now that she thought over that since well, two foot tall talking mice don't exactly run around Vale. But it was odd actually meeting someone else from the other worlds that Sora had mentioned to her.

"Sora? You know Sora?" King Mickey soon asked her, almost a small urgency in that voice along with a confusion that lead Ruby to believe that that was a part of what the other hadn't expected to find out while he was here.

"I talked with him in a dream."

Mickey chuckled after hearing her answer, and Ruby didn't really understand as to why he would since that didn't seem normal to her. "Seems like he is busy helping worlds still after all." Well, that really didn't explain as to why he had been in her dreams, which of course she asked about. It seemed like that and just the whole air of Mickey coming from an outside world still wasn't clear in understanding still.

So, the King then decided on a plan, which he began by saying, "Anyway, I suppose I could help ask some of your questions to all of this. I'll try to keep it somewhat short, but this story isn't a small one, I can tell you that."

He then begins to retell an adventure that really Ruby couldn't almost believe. It seemed to span a long while for what the story implied, wondering briefly just how long this mouse was. He told them of a man named Master Xehanort and of heartless and nobodies. He told of an organization and their role led by the nobody of Xehanort, Xemnas. But then Mickey began speaking of his friends, the ones who brought down Xehanort's and Xemnas's plans. She heard the name Sora and found out just how much the boy had a role in things. With his friends of Riku, Donald, Goofy, and Kairi -and the additional ones along the way-, they all managed to stop all worlds from plunging into darkness. It was an interesting tale, and one that Ruby was so easily reminded of by stories she had heard and read as a child. Sora could have easily been a hero for those tales with the feat that he managed.

"And that is my story," Mickey finally concluded with a small smile and nod of his head. All of the people there were in varying degrees of shock and wonder by this tale that he told. Even Ozpin, who had gotten a shorter version, was still a bit awed by the story and adventure that King Mickey had braved with his friends.

"That...that all happened?"

Mickey nodded to Weiss's incredulous question, and no one else spoke up to answer anything more after that. They took Mickey's word to be true, though those words spun an interesting and long tale. The King opened his mouth to start speaking once more, but a knock at the door seemed to shut his mouth for him.

All heads turned to the doors to the office, before Ozpin called out, "Come in."

"King Mickey, I'm sorry to interrupt, but I have some news."

A slightly older boy than team RWBY walked in, a few inches taller than Yang and hair and eyes similar to Weiss's own. The air around him really seemed a bit aloft and distant, reminding Ruby of when she had met Blake. The new boy stopped neared the king before glancing around at the others in the room.

"Everyone, this is Master Riku," King Mickey filled in the missing name for this stranger before turning his attention and questions to Riku, "What is it, Riku?"

"It's the heartless," Riku answered back, Ruby surprised that he knew about them as well and began figuring that Riku must be from wherever King Mickey came from, though found it odd that he wasn't a mouse as well. "I've dealt with most around the school and the kingdom. Most either scattered after that to wherever they're hiding."

King Mickey nodded his head, seeming to find that of some sort of reason that was lost on Ruby since she didn't know just how sentient these creatures were. They were similar to grimm, but not quite in some aspects. She also wondered how much more did this "Master Riku" know about things pertaining to the heartless and keyblades than she.

"So, they are still lurking around then?" Ozpin questioned, wondering how much more time would take to get rid of them all or how much time they would need to start preparing against this force that lurked more in the shadows than the beast they already had trouble with.

Mickey reluctantly nodded his head, a small frown on his face, "I'm afraid so. Heartless sometimes can linger, though if the keyhole is locked, then this world should be safe."

"Keyhole?" Glynda now spoke up to ask.

"Yes," Riku answered her back and then continued on explaining, "it's the roughly the lock that protects the heart of a world. Finding it and locking should prevent the heartless from ever entering the heart of the world and destroying it."

"Can the keyblade do that?" Ruby asked, wondering just how a simple weapon that she could barely get to summon on will could do something that seemed so fanciful and huge. The heart of this world? The simple thought seemed just too big for something she could accomplish, even doubting herself that she could or even would be doing something like that. Heartless already gave her enough trouble.

Riku then turned his full attention to Ruby, giving her a feeling of being judged and not exactly joining it all that much, "Yes, and how do you know of the keyblade? Mickey?" His face turned away, though those sharp blue eyes lingered on the young huntress and making her really wished people would stare at her like that. This was new to her, and she really wished she wasn't put on center stage for it.

Mickey chuckled, not really settling any of the feelings mixing and turning within the young redhead, "She a keyblade wielder as well. Sora seemed to have found and helped her."

"Sora?" Riku seemed surprised but then chuckled, "Seems like he is still meddling in the worlds. But, then again, he could not when a world needs him. Too big of a heart to do so otherwise."

Ruby it a bit...odd really hearing how Riku talking about Sora. He seemed so much less, aloof when he did so. So, she finally found her voice to ask him, "You sound like you're-"

"Friends? Yeah, we are. The best, by what he says." Riku's smiled as he seemed to reminisce about that. Ruby wondered just how this Master Riku could be friends with Sora, who seemed just so...not like Riku. Then again, it could be a bit like how she was friends with Weiss or even Blake, the beginning hadn't been the best but now things changed.

"But about the heartless-" Riku snapped out his thoughts, and the smile quickly squared itself away as he got back into protector-mode that he walked in with.

"I'll deal with those, I think you have another job to be taken care of," Mickey answered him, as if just waving off the problem as something simple to do that surprised Ruby a bit. Then again, with how long they had been fighting, they seemed to be able to be a bit laxed and not overly worried about things. Though she did wonder what other job that Master Riku had to do.

"Hmm?"

Ruby soon then got her answer from the King. "Training Ruby here."

The said person in question eyes widened a bit, and Riku spoke up with a bit more haste. "But, Mickey-"

"No 'but's. She needs some guidance, and I'm sure a Master such as yourself can help." Mickey smiled after that, finding that that decision would be the best one for now. Ruby wondered how much "guidance" she could get from this Master that Mickey spoke highly of. Not that she didn't think she didn't need more help, but she also didn't know Riku as well.

"I see," Glynda soon entered this small conversation between the two outsiders to the world, concerned more about what they were implying about this extra training, "but Miss Rose does have classes as well."

Mickey nodded his head in agreement, finding that the woman did have a point there. "Schooling is important as well, I should know. But I'm sure there can be a compromise on her behalf? Ruby?"

All attention and faces turned towards her, making the young teen feel a bit shocked to see them now relying on her answer for this question. The training would be good since she did have a keyblade, but she did have schooling. A huntress was something she had been aiming for before this own deal with the keyblade and heartless. But if she ignored her duty, the world may fall to the heartless. That kind of pressure made her feel a bit sick, but she swallowed that done and gave her response.

"I, uh, could train after class and still work on schoolwork. I'm sure I can balance both, for the sake of learning and the world."

Ruby thought that was a good compromise for her own self. It would hopefully balance out her schooling and this new training that she obviously needed to benefit the world. She just waited to see how the others took this news, especially the one that would be in charge of helping her.

Finally, Riku gave his answer after locking eyes with her and giving her a look that spoke of something deep and meaningful that she didn't know fully about, "I suppose I can help her."

"Good."

Ozpin nodded his head to the now resolved solution to the problem with the untrained keyblader, "Now that that matter is settled, I suppose you four may return to your dorm room."

Three of team RWBY were ready to go, but Ruby, however, had just a few more things that she needed to say to what would be her would be trainer for the foreseeable future, "Uh, Master Riku?"

"Riku's fine, and yes?" he answered back, slipping a bit in a more friendly tone that didn't sound much different than his regular one. But Ruby could hear the difference between when he was addressed as "Master Riku" and just "Riku."

"We could start right now, training I mean. There should be an empty gym."

"Alright, if that is fine with you."

Ruby nodded her head, finding that starting early with this while still in midday would be better than waiting until later and possibly finding herself within a problem that might cause if she wasn't prepared. Her team, however, thought differently on just Ruby sticking around this stranger while shouldering some of this new work that she would have to deal with in order to fight more monsters that were cropping up.

"We're coming as well," Yang spoke up for the rest of team RWBY, getting a few separate agreements from both Weiss and Blake. They weren't going to let Ruby deal with this alone. They were still a team, still had a bond. One that Ruby felt ever grateful for, giving them a relieved look before looking back at Riku. She, of course, didn't see the challenging looks from the rest of her team to Riku that dared him to deny them this.

Of course, Riku merely shrugged and answered, "That's fine."

Grins lit up all their faces in hearing that, soon showing the other teen the way to where this gym would be after getting the go ahead to leave the office since it seemed discussion was done. The team lightly chatted with this stranger as they left the room, and their voices were cut off after the door was shut.

After a few silent seconds for the three left, and then Glynda spoke up, more towards Ozpin than the outsider to this world, "Do you think that is wise?"

"I have full faith in Riku," Mickey answered her back, looking up at her and getting her to look down at him, "He will help Ruby out in what she needs to know."

The sound of conviction in the King's voice hoped to convey his full reassurance in the matter. This would not end badly, and they would fight this new force. Mickey's faith in things never wavered, though sometimes worry in others balanced it out for the bigger picture of things.


	2. Chapter 2

Sorry it took so long to get this second part out. With holidays and classes starting up, and losing my writing muse a few times…yeah. Anyway, here is the final part with Riku. I don't know if I will do more, it depends if I can figure out what would be next for Ruby as a keyblader.

* * *

><p>Ruby pushed open the double doors, and all five of them walked down the stand-like steps towards the edge of the upper platform that overlooked a small arena like area. Riku's face had a small questioning look on it, from what Ruby caught a glimpse of, but he didn't say much about it and let it go to resume a more neutral expression. She noticed that he did that a lot, never revealing much about himself through his emotions. She wondered why that was so.<p>

Once they got to the bottom row of seats, Ruby then stopped the group and told her team, "It'll probably be best if you guys stay up here, right?" The questioning part of that was directed more at Riku, who was given some charge in this situation and gave a simple nod of his head and a reaffirming 'Yeah' back.

"Alright, sis. Good luck," Yang answered back with a wide grin before taking her spot on the seats present to watch. Weiss did much the same with some of the same sentiment, though she told the other a "Try not to be too much of a dolt, alright?", and Blake wished the other a "Good luck" before seating down. Ruby doubted that the first training with this keyblade Master would be too hard, but then again she didn't know how Riku would fight or even was like. He seemed to remind her a bit like Blake, all quiet and few words. But he lacked her...well, Blake-ness as well.

Riku appeared to be a new mystery of a person she might as well find out like she had for others.

With that thought and others of likeness in her mind as they headed around the edge of the watching stands and down a few more flights of stairs to get to the lower level of the arena, Ruby did have bit of distraction that caught her off guard once Riku stopped walking. They stood on the opposite of the doors that lead into the arena. Ruby glanced over to the other, opening her mouth to ask why they stopped, but Riku began talking first.

"Ruby, what I'm about to start training you with and in isn't going to be easy." Ruby made an attempt to talk, but Riku continued with graveness in his voice that seemed to age him in years -more so like Ozpin was like. "This isn't anything you know of. The monsters I face, that you will face, aren't what you know. Even the Keyblade is a weapon of power that you might never understand. I can start training you, but even I-" His voice stopped, giving Ruby some suspicion that he didn't know what to say though she didn't either after digesting what he told her. "I'm not cut out for this, this 'teaching'. King Mickey would have been much better or someone like him."

There was a different tone when he said "teaching" that she wondered about, but Ruby just shook her head and put up a small smile, "Listen, Riku, I'm sure you'll give it your best. No one is great in a day, and it would be good to just get a little bit of help. I'm sure you can help with what you know." That finally got the other to look at her, a surprised look in his eyes, and he smiled just minutely back at her.

He then let out a relieving sigh of breath, "Yeah, alright." That concluded their little 'chat' before he pushed the doors opened and walked onto the arena for with Ruby in tow.

They entered the center of the flooring, and she couldn't help to glance up and over to where her team watched from the sidelines with encouraging and anxious looks on their faces. Wow, she wondered if Weiss had felt like this that while back in Professor Port's class against the boarbatusk. Ruby wondered if she had felt like calm and freak out warred within her mind, though Weiss didn't seem like the other to worry. But she knew that the other did. Weiss worried about her team just as much as they worried about her. They had that kind of bond and friendship and-

"Ruby," Riku broke through her thoughts, facing her now instead at her side. His face had taken a stern look, not hard or disappointed but ready to begin training. She had seen that when Professor Glynda trained them. "Let's start with the beginning. Summon your keyblade."

Ruby bit her lower lip and held out her hand, hoping that it would come to her. Sometimes it would appear, and sometimes...it wouldn't, like now. After trying and willing the darn thing to come, she started to feel a bit frustrated that she wasn't able to do something so simple as summon this mysterious weapon to her. Obviously it was something so easy to start with. So why didn't she get it so easily?

She glanced up to Riku, about to say something about this and attempt to wonder if he had any help for getting her keyblade to appear, but she watched him shake his head and felt a bit of sting within her at the simple fact that she couldn't get her keyblade to come. But that feeling was quickly pushed away as instinct took over as Riku then charged at her with speeds that nearly rivaled her own. She backed away, putting up her arm up in defense firstly and forgetting that her own Crescent Rose was attached to her hip. But she thankfully didn't need it as her keyblade appeared just in time to block the attack.

"First thing you need to know about your keyblade is that it both reacts on your will and reacts on its own. It can come when called and also appear when needed." He then stepped back and lowered his own keyblade as Ruby took that in with a bit of shock. She eventually relaxed, though now staring at his own keyblade at his side. It seemed like a hodgepodge between two clashing themes, dark with a wing as the curved part. Odd, but it seemed to reflect the oddness of its wielder.

"And attacking me?"

Riku merely shrugged, though there was a tease of a grin on his face though. "At least I gave you a warning. Sora, he got...not so much."

Ruby wanted to ask more about Sora and why she had met him in her sleep, but Riku began talking about their training and some light history about the keyblades to begin. Obviously Riku knew Sora well, but it was something that continued to pester her thoughts as she listened along with her new teacher at the moment.

Riku held up his own keyblade as he began lecturing her more about it, showing it off as he spoke, "But with your keyblade, it is an extension of yourself. Driven by sometimes your own desires and feelings, it is a connection to your heart that manifests itself as a weapon to protect. Against the heartless and against other enemies that may appear. Trust in your heart and it, and it will help you defeat whatever enemies you encounter."

He then lowered the weapon down to his side after finishing, and Ruby found that all of this really did seem so intense. Then again, she was training to be a huntress, and that was intense work as well. Never had she thought that there may be something else in similar importance to a bigger world or good.

"Really? All of that in a weapon?"

"Yeah, keyblades are something else..." His voice began trailing off, getting this far off look in his eyes as he soon found his voice once more, "they were something that was even fought over. Now they are a reminder of peace for some and the opposite for others. But King Mickey and our friends use them to combat the darkness, which I'll show you to do with fighting and magic." That faraway look came back to meet her eyes, now pulled back under the reigns. Whatever he knew more about the keyblades seemed to be more personal than she knew. But there was also something he said that made her wonder.

"Magic?" she asked, having a bit of curiosity coloring her voice with that one word question. 'Magic' fit in with fairytales and stories, though sometimes resembling semblances. How would a weapon produce power? How would she?

"Yes, some keyblades and wielders can access magic. It provides for more attack."

"What does this 'magic' use as a power source? Dust?...or something like it?"

Riku was silent for a bit, obviously mulling over her question that had been simple enough for what she understood and not simple for Riku to answer her back readily. "I really don't know. Master Yen Sid never really explained it all that much, and I really didn't stop to question. Then again, I don't really prefer to use it as compared to Sora and our other friend Kairi. She is more the magic-user really."

"Oh." Ruby found this a bit disappointing. She would have liked to have been able to learn more about this 'magic' that she could access through her keyblade. She also wondered what other things she could use. The keyblade was turning out to be something else of a weapon.

"But I can teach you some basics that I know."

"Great!"

"But, we probably won't get to that today. Right now, I need to see your stance. After that, simple sparring matches should do for now. This will not be something quick to brush through. Already I've had to deal with someone else who thought that."

Ruby opened her mouth to ask who, before shutting it as Riku took up a stance with his keyblade. His right shoulder and elbow was lift up and brought back with his keyblade pointing towards her; while his left arm had been moved in front. His legs mirrored his arms in a similar position. Ruby already figured out by his stance that Riku fought with speed and agility. It also explained the incident beforehand.

"Now you," he told her, waiting to watch her take up a stance.

"Uh, well," Ruby began muttering, looking down at the four foot blade she now wielder. It wasn't Crescent Rose, though looking similar. It was several feet shorter and the weight on the blade was distributed different. All in all, reflex and her own semblance helped out during those past fights with the heartless. She hadn't stopped to evaluate how her form was or anything.

How was she ever going to really fight with the keyblade?

'Come on Ruby, think. Remember how uncle Qrow taught you how to hold your scythe. Find the right position, something natural to keep the flow of power.'

She felt Riku's gaze on her, though feeling it bare down on her more than it probably was. Natural, natural was with her scythe. But this wasn't Crescent Rose. So, that meant a new position.

She took up a similar stance as she usual done with her other weapon, one foot back, but this time her leading left leg was bent forward was if ready to rush an opponent. Her left hand joined her right and took a grip of the handle, and they were position forward with the top of the keyblade drawn back and pointed downward as if ready for an upward arc when sung forward.

This, felt good for now at least. It still felt awkward, but Riku was bound to help out in it as her temporary teacher for now. Speaking of Riku, she noticed that he glanced over her and her stance, wondering what he thought.

"Alright, now that your are in your stance, let's see some basic swings."

So, the majority of the first training session was about her movements with the keyblade. Riku remarked a few times on how she seemed to hold too tight or not enough of her keyblade. Ruby followed his basic instructions, blocked simple attacks, and asked a few questions relating to -and sometimes not- to the keyblades and the heartless she might eventually face once more. He answered them back in that same cool and calm voice, and she felt slight more enlightened as time pass. Though she would trip up here and there, and that good mood was gone. Riku noticed and corrected her in her movements while offering small words of encouragement. As the time pass, Ruby felt tired and drained. He let her go, telling her they would resumed tomorrow, and headed out of the arena with the red-head trailing behind him.

As they got up into the stands, team RWBY greeted their leader with small cheers and pats on the back from Yang. Ruby felt as though she could just collapse there.

She watched as Riku began heading out of the building, soon muttering to her teammates, "I feel like nothing is going right. I mean, can he really teach me to be a good keyblader?"

"Ruby, I don't-" her sister began to protest, wondering where this doubt was coming from before a voice carrying from a distance told the youngest of the group, "You have the makings of one, don't doubt that. Doubting lets the darkness seep into your heart."

All four looked over to the doors where Riku stood at, one of them pushed up but not entered through. He glanced back at Ruby with a determined look on his face that also held a sense of belief -belief in her. Ruby didn't know how Riku could know, but she did trust him slightly and allowed herself to believe in those words. Soon, he left, and the group began making their way out of there as well as a clos-knit group.

"You'll be a find keyblade fighter."

"Blake's right. I'm sure practice is just needed to really help."

Yang's arm wrapped itself around Ruby's shoulder and kept her next to her side as they walked while the blonde herself said to her sister, "They're right. You'll be fine. You'll even be the first keyblade of Remnant as well as probably the youngest huntress."

Ruby glanced up at her sister who smiled down at her with the brilliant smile, nodding and having a small smile herself, "Yeah, you're right. A huntress and a keyblader."

* * *

><p>The next day started out as most of the school days at Beacon, with getting up and dress early and then heading to classes. Ruby's mind, firstly, was preoccupied with schoolwork and such she had to do today. Occasionally and especially during some of the longer lectures that seemed to just go on and on, her thoughts strayed to her new weapon and teacher.<p>

The thoughts hung about more with the latter in wondering if she may get to know about him more. Ruby never thought of herself to be not curious. He was helping her out and probably helping out her world in the long run. What about Riku himself? What about his own world and where he came from? All of those questions floated about her mind along with the notes the professor was talking about.

Once the bell finally rung at the end of the class period, Ruby got up and got packed to leave. She wondered if she could find Master Riku in the break period to talk with him and maybe understand more about what all of this training would me and about himself.

"Hey Ruby, where you hurrying off to?"

"Oh Jaune," Ruby stopped just for a moment as the teen caught up to her, more out of curtesy for her friend, "uh, nowhere really."

"Oh cool, mind if I join you for break?" Jaune grinned to her, having a small hope on his face that she would say 'yes' to that. "Pyrrha and Nora decided to leave with Ren for I think a shopping trip or something and-"

"Well, you see, I was actually going to meet someone and..."

A dejected look appeared on his face in hearing that, all hope deflating out of him for a moment until he bounced back a bit to speak once more. "Oh, okay. See ya later."

Jaune left with that, waving goodbye, and Ruby watched and felt a bit bad about it. But she also knew that Jaune wouldn't take it badly and she would talk with him later after her training match with Riku. Her newest teacher's voice filtered into her mind as she headed down the hallways along with students walking to and from classes as well, and the voice reminded her not to abandoned friends while taking up this new responsibility. Of course she would never abandon them, and probably the opposite could be said for the same.

* * *

><p>Another night of training with Riku passed which also marked the end of a full week of later afternoon training, and Ruby laid in her bed to let herself relax. Her body was a bit sore from all the stunts she had learned and practiced, but her muscles was also becoming accustomed to the new fighting as well and remembering how she moved with the blade. The soft peace of the dorm room, which would have often bugged her since she did enjoy the chatter and just having the room filled with her teammates, allowed her to sink into a light relaxation to just let things remain still. Still was good, and quiet was enjoyable now.<p>

"Hey Ruby, you in?"

But quiet didn't last for very long.

The door to the dorm opened up, and Ruby heard at least three pairs of footsteps enter the room, guessing already who those footsteps belonged all to.

"Yeah," she answered back, voice soft and wishing it was still as quiet as before. Bed springs echoed in the room, along with the door to the bathroom opening and closing. The small noises of just the going on in the dorm wasn't too bad, at least Ruby could admit that.

"How was training today?"

"Alright. I'm just so sore. I thought uncle was the only one to push someone this much. Master Riku is a bit worse really. I mean, he means well and says that all of this training is important, but my arms haven't felt this sore since I first trained with Crescent Rose. I think they may eventually fall off."

"Wow, with all that and you not up, I can believe that."

Yang's head appeared next to Ruby's bed, the nose resting on the covers of the bed. She continued to stare at Ruby until her sister glanced over to her and stared right back. The staring match continued for a little longer until Ruby broke a smile across her face and Yang's eyes twinkled with the tell-tale sign of a smile not seen.

"Maybe you should train with him too. He might give you a run for your money," Ruby joked, though entertaining the thought of what that would be like with her fiery personality sister and the collect and mostly stoic Riku. It would be interesting to say the least.

"Nah, it seems like you're enough to train."

"Though I do have to wonder how he trained, since he does have the title 'Master'."

Weiss, who had left the bathroom with her hair down and jacket removed, had asked that as she walked over to her bunk and sat down next to where Yang stood. Ruby thought about that and wondered if she could really disclose anything Riku told her during training or make any assumptions since her new teacher did often not tell her things from his own past at times.

"Well, I don't really know. He seems like he trained somewhere good, and well, obviously since he is a Master at Yang's age."

"Hmm," Weiss hummed out as she began removing her boots and stockings. The room went a bit quiet after that brief conversation. Yang seemed to figure she would leave her sister to rest, reaching over to pat her head lightly before backing away and turning towards her own bunk. Ruby had a soft smile on her head, glad for a week of training to be over and knowledge now because of it.

-/-

While Ruby had been relaxing and resting in her dorm room after a long week of bother schooling and training with her new weapon, Riku headed back to where he was staying to rest as well. Since he job on this world pertained mainly to keeping a guard up, watching and fighting heartless, and training, he seemed to have his hands full most of the time. The evening provided for some rest. But the young keyblade Master also knew that things never followed a peaceful and uneventful course for long. Not with how things and destiny seemed to shape how he had been living his life for the past couple of years.

Once back in the dorm room he had been provided, though this one all to himself, he noticed it wasn't as empty as it usually was.

"Mickey," he greeted the mouse as he entered, shutting the door behind him and kicking his shoes off. The king nodded his head back and returned the greeting of names, looking as though in thought before it melted away into a soft grin on his face.

"How has the training some for Miss Ruby?"

"Well," Riku answered back shortly before taking a seat on the edge of the bed. "She has potential in her, I've seen that much. She's also quick, quicker than I've seen with someone with a weapon. But she says that is her 'semblance,' which might just help her in the long run. Other than that, she's learning fast and well."

Mickey remained standing as he listened to the other speak, having face of in thought and not that switched between the two. After having known the other for these years, Riku knew how much could weigh on the king's mind at times. He also knew that the other thought hard about anything he was given as information.

"I see, well, that's good to hear. This world may need someone with her skill and courage."

"And maybe even other worlds as well since the darkness is growing still outside of what we know of. More keybladers will be good to fight it off."

"Riku," Mickey began, his once relaxed face taking on a serious note and frown that made Riku almost wish he hadn't said that just so that he wouldn't get that look from his friend, "showing her other worlds and involving her in their fights might not be the best idea. She is young and has a life here on her own world, and there is the threat of Xehanort lurking out there."

Riku was quiet for a bit, letting the king's wise words settle into his thoughts. King Mickey was right, as usual. Involving Ruby into other worlds' affairs would be a dangerous move not only because of her age and fate here on her world, but because the slimey creature named Xehanort lurked out in the darkness and sought to unbalance everything. Including Ruby in that would just be as unfair as when the darkness claimed his own world and drove him and his friends apart. Ruby didn't deserve any of that.

Finally, Riku nodded his head and muttered, "You're right."

"Riku, I think it might be good for Ruby to understand other worlds as a keyblade wielder, but she can later once it is safe. There are so few keybladers left."

"All the more reason to help, but I understand."

Mickey thought over that, not doubting his friend but hoping that Riku really did understand. Then again, Riku was so young and didn't understand how sometimes matter such as these worked. Mickey had to make tough choices like these before, and things just had to be as there they were for times. The balance was tricky to maintain, even more so when a large threat loomed in the shadows.

He just hoped that that threat wouldn't come here to upset Remnant's balance of peace.

* * *

><p>Ruby felt the pinch in her chest whenever breath was short from the strain her muscles were causing. Her hands felt sweaty around the grip she held of her keyblade. She felt like she had at the combat school, against a tough enemy and worn out. But she still fought and kept her guard up. Even the power she felt from her keyblade, which Riku told her was natural to feel and a good thing since it allowed for the access of more power, was on a tipping point of her own strength. She stared at the other, eyes stinging somewhat of the sweat that crept its way there. Her aura allowed for of her strain to be lessened, but she was still human after all. Humans had their limits, as did their aura's when pushed to an extreme in fighting.<p>

Riku, however, seemed to not be human at all. He still stood as though he hadn't been fighting and training just thirty minutes ago with her. He had that indifferent look that he adopted during fights, making it even harder to figure out what he was thinking as they fought.

Then there was a slight twitched of his wrist, something she noticed in her still hyperaware adrenaline state, and she was instantly jerking her keyblade up to block and then using her speed to come around him swinging the blade down. It was met by the other's keyblade with a 'clang'. After pushing against Riku's blade, she used as almost a springboard to then flip away from the slash from the other. Ruby landed on her feet, crouching and jerking her head up just to see the other dart towards her as almost as wind itself. She rolled and used the keyblade as a focal point to then kick the other hard in the side. Her feet made contact. Riku was knocked away, rolling and crouching as she had been. His face had changed, from impassive to something of mild confusion and surprise. Ruby found that to be a priding thing to manage, before righting herself and darting forward. She had tapped into her semblance enough to get a final large burst of it; which she hoped to end this fight.

What she managed resulted in that.

Her final burst of speed caught Riku off-guard, but he still managed to hold up his keyblade to block. It didn't help that the force behind it sent him backwards. He flipped and landed hard on his back, letting out the slightest of groans.

Ruby was surprised by what she had managed in a few weeks. Finally she knocked Riku back. She opened her mouth to ask the other if he was alright, but cheerful voices cut her off.

"Yeah Ruby! You go baby sister! I knew you had it in you! No offense, Master Riku!"

"Good fight, Ruby."

"Is he alright?" It seemed that Blake had most of the concern of the three members of team RWBY seated in the stands. All eyes were on the tall teen finally sitting up.

"Oh, are you okay?" Ruby asked the other, approaching him and letting her keyblade disappear for the time being. It had taken her a bit to learn that it was much easier to let her keyblade disappear when not in use. "I hope that didn't hurt too much. I'm surprise I sent you that far. I mean, you are a master, and I was sure you've dealt with stronger foes, no offense of course."

"No, I'm fine," he answered back, getting up. Once back on his feet, Riku did look alright from where Ruby stood. "I'm a bit surprised as well, but I shouldn't have been. You have some extraordinary potential, Ruby. A good thing for a keyblade wielder to have."

Ruby could help the swell of pride within her after hearing that. It was something else to be complimented by a master as Riku was.

However, she soon quickly found out, he wasn't done speaking to her just yet. "It's seems like your training for the basics is done for now. In such a short time too."

"Oh really?" There was surprise coloring her voice, wondering what was next then for them to practice. "What's next?" Magic had been taken little care of, since Riku wasn't a big practicer and Ruby couldn't conjure much beside the basic spells they practiced.

"What's next is that I have to leave for now."

Ruby was shocked in hearing that. She knew that eventually he would have to leave, but he had only been here a few weeks -mainly to train her and watch out for the heartless that may or may not appear-. "What? Leave? But Mas- Riku, it's only been a few weeks. I doubt I've learned much-"

"You've learned a lot in those weeks, Ruby. Some of it from training, and the rest was from what you are capable of," He interrupted her to say, having a bit of a neutral look on his face. He took a few steps over to stand before her before he continued. "There is a fight against the darkness going on with the other worlds that I have to go help defend against. I have to go to help other worlds and keep them safe. While I'm doing that, you must keep your own world safe now. You have the keyblade to do just that."

"But, do you really have to go"

Riku nodded his head, some reluctance in such an action. "Darkness must be kept away from the light of worlds and hearts. As a Master, I must go. I hoped to have been able to train you more, but your are strong with the keyblade now. You can defend against the heartless here."

Ruby nodded her head back with the same reluctance, though a frown pulled hard down on the corners of her lips. She accepted the reason, knowing how that her duty was to help her world just as the other said. She had just hoped for more help. At least, she thought to herself, she had her friends as help.

"Alright, well, hope to see you again, Master Riku," she told the other again, lowering her head a bit in respect for the other.

Riku mirrored that action as well. "I hope so again, Ruby."

They left the arena together, and after that he left the group of four girls to leave. Ruby really did hope to see him again, since he seemed to be a good person and someone she wouldn't mind befriending more. However, she didn't know fully the danger Riku would be heading out to deal with and hoped that the keyblade Master could handle such problems and feats. She also hoped that she could do likewise here on her own world.


End file.
